POGO finances the internship of a Cape Verdean student at IH

Zuleica Duarte is at Hydrographic Institute between the 30^th of january and the 3^rd of april with a POGO (Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean) fellowship to accomplish a two month post-expedition training in observational oceanography, following her at sea training on board NRP D. Carlos I, a hydrographic vessel from the Portuguese Navy. The post-expedition training comprehends the analysis of water samples collected during the sea cruise and is being conducted at the chemical laboratory of Hydrographic Institute in Lisbon, under the supervision of Doctor Carla Palma.

Between 30^th of October and 15^th of November of 2021, a program of multidisciplinary observations off the Archipelago of Cape Verde was conducted onboard of NRP D. Carlos I, a hydrographic vessel from the Portuguese Navy, integrated in a broader cooperation mission “Iniciativa Mar Aberto” (“Open Sea Initiative”). The objectives of this cruise were developed in a close collaboration between Instituto Hidrográfico and the Institute for the Sea (IMAR), the Instituto de Engenharias e Ciências do Mar – Universidade Técnica do Atlântico Technical (ISECMAR UTA), both from Cape Verde, and the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR, Germany).

On the scientific perspective, this research cruise collected a comprehensive set of physical, biogeochemical, and biological data in the area of the Cape Verde Archipelago with the aim of better understanding how the large-scale circulation in this area forces the complex dynamics around and between the islands of the archipelago.

During the 15 days of mission at sea, Zuleica Duarte and another fellow student from UTA were on board, participating in the scientific works, namely the sample collection and the measurements of physical, chemical, and biological variables in the water column from the surface to depths of 1500 m. For Zuleica Duarte the onboard training had a special meaning, as it will contribute directly for her bachelor degree thesis entitled “Physico-chemical characterization of water bodies in the Cape Verde archipelago”.

During the cruise, water samples were collected with CTD profiles being acquired along the water column using a rosette with Nisken bottles. Zuleica collected samples for the determination of nutrients, chlorophyll a, metals, pH and dissolved oxygen. On board, the samples were preserved and some of the primary analysis were done.

During the first three weeks of her post-training Zuleica has worked at the inorganic laboratory analyzing photosynthetic pigments and nutrients. Presently, Zuleica Duarte is working in the analysis of metals in the water samples.